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FBI
National
Cyber Security Awareness Month 2013
October
marks the 10th anniversary of National
Cyber Security Awareness Month. Established by presidential directive
in 2004,
the initiative—administered by the Department of Homeland
Security—raises cyber
security awareness across the nation by engaging and educating public
and
private sector partners through a variety of events and programs. The
ultimate
goal is to protect the country from cyber incidents and respond to them
effectively
if they do occur.
The
FBI is heavily invested in protecting the
country’s cyber interests. We lead the national effort to investigate
high-tech
crimes, including cyber-based terrorism, espionage, computer
intrusions, and
major cyber fraud. To stay in front of current and emerging trends, we
gather
and share information and intelligence with public and private-sector
partners
worldwide.
But
cyber security is a job for everyone. Every
American who uses digital technologies at home or in the office needs
to play a
part in cyber security. If you open a virus-laden e-mail attachment at
work,
for example, you could infect your entire company’s computer network.
Here
are a few basic steps you can take to be
more cyber secure:
Set
strong passwords, and don’t share them with
anyone.
Keep
a clean machine—your operating system,
browser, and other critical software are optimized by installing
regular
updates.
Maintain
an open dialogue with your family,
friends, and community about Internet safety.
Limit
the amount of personal information you
post online, and use privacy settings to avoid sharing information
widely.
Be
cautious about what you receive or read
online—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
The
FBI also runs several other cyber-related
programs, including the Internet Crime Complaint Center—a partnership
between
the Bureau and the National White Collar Crime Center that serves as a
clearinghouse for triaging cyber complaints and provides an easy-to-use
online
tool for reporting these complaints—and the Safe Online Surfing (SOS)
program,
a nationwide initiative designed to educate children about the dangers
they
face on the Internet and to help prevent crimes against children. And
to
broaden the reach of SOS, today we launched a Spanish-language version
of its
learning portals.
For
more information about National Cyber
Security Awareness Month, the FBI’s cyber programs, and other
cyber-related
matters including how to report cyber crimes and scams, click here for a list
of links and scroll to the bottom of the page
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